Euro 2024 - European Championship quarter-final in Berlin as a Turkish soccer festival
For the Turkish community in Berlin, the EM-quarterfinal match between Turkey and the Netherlands on Saturday in the German capital is a football festival. "Berlin is indeed the largest city outside of Turkey with over 200,000 Turkish residents, so people are naturally excited," said Safer Çinar, spokesperson of the Turkish Union in Berlin-Brandenburg (TBB) to the German Press Agency: "Many Turkish cafes and restaurants, which previously had no television, have all installed one now."
It's really unfortunate that the commotion around Merih Demiral's Wolfsburg cheer by the Turkish national player has overshadowed the sport, Çinar commented: "What the young man did was certainly senseless, and he will surely be sanctioned."
However, it was Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) who brought the controversy surrounding the "Grey Wolves," one of the largest right-wing extremist groups in Germany, to the political level. "That was completely unnecessary and poisoned the atmosphere," the TBB spokesperson stated.
"Ultimate High-Risk Game"
As to whether the expected visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the game on Saturday (9 p.m./RTL/MagentaTV) at the Olympiastadion will influence the mood, Çinar couldn't speculate. However, he hoped that it would be peaceful before, during, and after the match.
The quarterfinal is an "Ultimate High-Risk Game," according to Benjamin Jendro, spokesperson of the Berlin Police Union, to the German Press Agency: "There's no more explosive match in the current lineup than the Netherlands versus Turkey in Berlin."
Due to the large Turkish community in Berlin, which gathers for watching and celebrating football matches not only in hotspots, support from other federal states has been requested. Around 3,000 officers are expected to be deployed. The Erdogan visit will hardly change the personnel planning, according to Jendro: "We call up everything that can run."
- TheExpected visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the quarterfinal match between Turkey and the Netherlands in Berlin's Olympiastadion has generated significant interest within the large Turkish community residing in the city.
- The German Press Agency reported that the Dutch-Turkish EM-quarterfinal match in Berlin is not just a soccer event but a major celebration for the Turkish community, with many Turkish cafes and restaurants installing televisions for the occasion.
- Merih Demiral, a Turkish national soccer player, has become the center of attention ahead of the game after his Wolfsburg cheer, but Çinar, spokesperson of the Turkish Union in Berlin-Brandenburg (TBB), expressed disappointment over the incident overshadowing the sport.
- Berlin Police Union spokesperson Benjamin Jendro described the quarterfinal match as an "Ultimate High-Risk Game," attributing the high tension to the large Turkish community's enthusiasm and the potential for conflict between the Dutch and Turkish supporters.
- Germany's Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has sought to keep political tensions at bay, stating that the presence of the controversial right-wing extremist group "Grey Wolves" during the game is not an issue that should be exploited for political gain.
- The soccer festival in Berlin on Saturday is set to be an exciting event, with the Turkish and Dutch communities coming together for the quarterfinal match, showcasing the power and passion of sports to bring people together despite political differences.
